Gender, disaster top agenda of Women’s Meet

MANILA, Philippines—A National Women’s Summit with the theme “Women’s Self-Reliant Leadership in Times of Crisis” will be held at Miriam College on October 20-21 with the topics Gender and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, the state of Human Rights in the Philippines, Gendered Responses to Governance and Corruption, as well as Violence Against Women high on the agenda.

The summit, which will be attended by over 300 NGOs and government officials from the Philippines, will assess the gains as well as the gaps in the Philippines’ implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action.

Plenary speakers include Senator Loren Legarda who will discuss the issues on disaster management following the tragic aftermath of the Ondoy and Pepeng typhoons; chairperson Leila de Lima of the Commission on Human Rights on the human crisis in the Philippines; former Senator Santanina Rasul on the challenges and possibilities of peace in Mindanao; Karina David on governance and corruption; and Ging Deles on the peace process. Heads of international organizations, NGOs, and representatives of the diplomatic community have also been invited to the conference.

As part of the National Summit conference, two outstanding women, Justice Ines Luciano and former congresswoman Josefina Joson, will be conferred the “Eminent Women in Politics” award by the Women and Gender Institute (Wagi) of Miriam College. This will be followed by a Special Musical Tribute for the late Susan Fernandez, featuring Cookie Chua, Bayang Barrios with guitarist Mon Villegas, Carol Bello, and the Ingkantada and the Harana group.

Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, now dean of the College of International Development and Humanitarian Studies at Miriam College, is the convener of the summit. She emphasized that the conference will provide a venue for women to discuss the multiple crises that are now facing the Philippines—political, economic, and environmental—and collectively suggest ways these issues can be addressed.

“Now, more than ever, we need to harness women’s collective strengths and self-reliant efforts in rebuilding our country after the series of disasters both natural and human made.”

Prospective participants may still register by calling Wagi office. Look for Mel Reyes at 435-9229 or log in at www.mc.edu.ph and click on national women’s summit. –INQUIRER.net